randuwa: My Dog

Showing posts with label My Dog. Show all posts

Sunday, November 12, 2017

A Walk In The Park

Autumn in the Park. Ducks in the Park. My Romeo looking at ducks in the Park. Great morning

to be in the Park

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Rosh Hashana Snap Shot

While I'm not Jewish, today is a blessing for me in that I have it off of work as a Holiday. To my dear Jewish friends, "G'mar Hatima Tova"! And know that you are sealed in the book of my heart, too.

Poor Romeo's been such a trooper with me in my present malaise. He can't possibly know that he's the vector of my distress--though I have taken to washing his paws! So we took a nice long walk today. The jingle of his harness makes him swoon. And in spite of his enthusiasm it would probably be easier to train a seal to leap through a hoop than get him to hold still while I slip the harness over his neck!

On the way down we ran into a fawn on the edge of the woods in the lot on the other side of my neighbor's house. It was covered in spots and seemed rather small to me for this late in the summer. There was no sign on a doe anywhere. Romeo finds these creatures uninteresting, but is patient while I stand a speak gently to it. The fawn looks up, flicks its tail, and returns to eating. Greets made, we continue on down the hill.

In the park I am amazed by the moisture in the ground. By this time of the year the creek is often a dribble, and the ground is parched and hard as slate. This year the soil remains dark and clearly moist--and it hasn't rained for about a week, which makes this even more unusual. It's owing to the constant rain we received throughout the end of July and especially into the latter weeks of August and early September. Another benefit is how lush and verdant the woods are. Trees that have normally started losing their foliage for want of water are still full. Notably the sycamores, which are always, a harbinger of early autumn stress.

Asiatic Daylily

Knotweed

The flowers are also in full glory like I've never remembered before. The Asiatic Daylilies and Knotweed are snaking there way up through the tall grass in a veritable battle for pathway supremacy. But the jewel of the trail is my favorite autumn wildflower, the Trefoil Tickseed. And all together the three make a lovely boarder to the path.

Trefoil Tickseed

On the way back we pass a neighbor working in the flowerbeds that frame the walk to her front door. She remembers my desire to start a patch of Cleomes in my own gardens and has shred the seeds of hers with me in the past. "Did they ever take?" she asks.

"No," I report.

"Would you like some more seeds?" she asks.

"If I thought they'd grow, I would. But I don't think I have the right conditions," I say.

"You might need a sunnier spot," she offers.

"That's true," I say, "So I think I'll just have to settle for enjoying yours."

She smiles and we leave it at that.

Back home I drop Romeo off and drive over to a nearby grocery for some odds and ends for super. When I drive back onto my street, I notice my neighbor standing in his front door, and I wave.

Once I get out of my truck, I see what has captured his attention. The fawn is now grazing in our neighbor's yard across from us. With relief I see her mother is with her, but to my surprise, she is scarcely larger that her offspring--and this in a year of such abundance.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

The Day After The Flood

The waters rose and the waters fell.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

The Dog Days of Summer!

The old expression has taken on a new meaning as my AC's compressor died last Wednesday evening... This effectively kills the AC and the Furnace, as now-a-days, the two are inextricably joined by technology. I was not prepared for this expense, and it's a real bite, but on the bright-side (and there's always a bright-side) I should lower my energy costs and footprint considerably. I'm trusting a local small business to do the work. I liked both of the men who came to do the initial inspection immensely, and though I acted all befuddle by the turn of evens, I know they are giving me a fare price on the replacement.

I have scheduled the replacement for Tuesday. And in the meantime my bestest boy and I are sweating! Which is also good for the body--to a point, of course.

Sunday, July 09, 2017

A Wonderful Summer Afternoon at the National Arboretum

Romeo Discovers a Hole at the National Arboretum!

I realize that this is not Breaking News. But for Romeo, it was pretty exciting, if brief. He was all over this little freshly dug hole smelling it stem to stern and then the entire perimeter. For clues to what exactly, I'm not sure--not even sure he knows, but he can't resist! That is until something else catches his attention and then--off to the next discovery.

Tuesday, July 04, 2017

Some Little Garden Zoo Pics

White-tailed Deer

Lesser Kudu

African Wild Painted Dogs

Common Warthogs

Galapagos Island Tortoise

Hyacinth Macaw and Toucan

As the Assistant Little Garden Zookeeper, I have to say that sometimes this job freaks me out! Like right now, for example: I swear one of those Meerkats just moved!

Slender-tailed Meerkats

Romeo 4th

After getting up early and taking a long walk on the Park trails; where we encountered a doe white-tailed deer and her twin newly born fawns--amazing they were in their brilliant white-spotted coats with white stripes down their necks--we returned home and had only one task. Nap time!

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Romeo, My Love

Isn't this picture just lovely? My truest friend and constant companion. My Romeo!

For those new to my blog, here's a relevant timeline that will give you a sense of just how precious this beautiful creatures advent in my life is.

1984 - I lived in Costa Rica and taught high school at Colegio Metódista

2012 JULY - I reconnected with one of my former students on Facebook. He now lives in Berkeley, California and works for a major bank in their IT dept.

2012 OCTOBER - He shared his participation in a dog rescue organization called "Animal Rescate" that saves street dogs from San José and finds them homes. He explained that some of the dogs were imported to the United States. He asked me if I would be interested in adopting such a dog. I declined. My schedule makes living with a dog very difficult.

2013 FEBRUARY - In a new conversation, he shared the pics of a dog that his parents had rescued and that dogs story. A scrawny little beggar who had shown up in their neighborhood and stayed in hopes of meeting the next door neighbors pet dog who was in heat. Silly little horny dog! I commented on the fact that he was a real "Romeo".

The next picture was of "Romeo" with his cousins hanging our in his parent's yard and a fervent resume of the dog's amazing qualities... Like, what was I supposed to do now? Without meaning to, I had christened him!

2013 MARCH - Consultations began on the process of Romeo's emigration to the United States. It was absurdly easy. The Animal Rescate clinic managed all of the medical procedures and immigration documents for a flat contribution that didn't even cover the cost of air fare! You know I gave them more than they suggested.

2013 APRIL - 5 weeks from commitment to adopt this beautiful foreigner I traveled to Dulles International Airport and claimed him as my own.

As a street dog (stray) the particulars of his birth are a mystery. The vets in Costa Rica gave his age as one year during their initial examination. And clearly he was still a pup when he arrived. The picture is of a beautiful 55 lb dog. His weight at dis-embarkment was 34 lbs. So best we can tell, he was born in the mid-winter of 2012. Thus his birthday is 14 February, 2012. Makes perfect sense to me!

2017 JUNE - My 5 and a half year old bestest boy ever is the joy of my life. How amazing this web in which we live. You never know how one moment in time will lead to another, but you must be open to what is possible.